Rotary steam-engine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

- J. E. MILLS.

Y ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

No. 343,831. PatentedJune 15, 1886.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' E. MILLS.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

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(No ModeL) J. E. MILLS.V EDTAEY STEAM ENGINE.

Patented June 15, 1886.

No. 343,831l

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EOTAEY STEAM ENGINE. No. 343,831. Patenwd June 15, 1886.

y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHAN E. MILLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,831, dated June 15, 1886.

Application filed March 30, 1886. Serial No. 197,200.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHAN E. MILLS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specilication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. v

This invention has for its obj ect to produce a rotary engine that is simple in its construetion and automatic in its operation; and it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 represents a vertical cross-section of the engine; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section through the center of the same; Fig. 3, a similar sectional view of the steam-chest and of the gravitating abutment-gates; Fig. 4, a sectional plan of the engine; Fig. 5, a perspective View of the rotary piston; Fig. 6, a modification of the engine as built non-reversible, and-Fig. 7 a perspective view of the piston-wheel of same.

Corresponding letters in the several iigures of the drawings designate like parts.

A denotes the cylinder, closed at both ends by covers B, each provided with a stuffingbox, a, for shaft C to project through. This cylinder A is mounted upon a bed-plate, l), with standard-bearings E, secured upon each end thereof, in which bearings the shaft C is journaled.

Upon the top of cylinder A is secured the steam-chest F,witl1 steam-inlet nozzle b,which steam-chest vcommunicates. with the cylinder through the port c,- and against the bottom of cylinder Ais secured the exhaust-chest G,

wider on top than in their bottom, and the cen-f tral partition-flange, h, as well as the end flanges, t', have turned annular grooves in their faces for packing-rings jjj, that are to be split and jointed in the usual manner adapt (No model.)

ed for common piston-rings to form hermetic joints with the bore of cylinder A.

In each groove g of the wheel H are closely fitted and secured by bolts two V-shaped blocks or frames, k 7c, that are placed diametrically opposite, and lthe blocks kof the two grooves gare placed in a rectangular position relative to each other, each of these blocks lc forming a piston proper for rotating wheel H. Longitudinally into the face of each block k is planed a rectangular groove, which grooves are extended through the shoulder-flanges of packing-ringsj,to be continuous between such packing-ringsjjj2, and into each such grooveA is tted a packing-strip, Z, which extend from the central packing-ring, j', to either end ring, j or 72, and are rigidly secured between such packing-rings by screws passed through rings j and tapped into the butt-ends of packingstrips Z in a manner to form a continuous elastic packing that will insure a tight joint with the bore of cylinder A.

Against each side of steamchest F is inserted between dovetailed cornerstrips a plate, m, again provided with dovetailed guide-strips, between each pair of which is guided a gate, I, that through close-fitting slotted openings in the cylinder A can move vertically into such cylinder. The lower ends of these gates Iare formed tapering to enter and make a close joint with the grooves g of wheel H, for which purpose their edges are grooved for holding some fibrous packing. Each such gate I has secured to its upper edge a rod, o, 'that is passed through a stuffing-box, p, in the cover of steam-chest F, and to the upper extremity of such rod o is secured a ball, q, which by its gravity will assist such gates in dropping quickly. Placing a gate I to each side of steam-port c has for its object to make the engine rotate in either direction by operat ing either gates on one side or the other in the steam-chest, and therefore the gates to remain idle and out of contact with the pistonwheel are suspended and locked in their elevated position by arms J, pivotally secured upon posts r, such arms .I being adapted to swing under the balls q of either gate I, affording a support for the same.

This engine is automatic in its operation,

both the steam and exhaust ports closed by the packing-strips Z,v the pistons 7c in the other groove g are under full action of the steam, whereby a uniform rotation of the piston-wheel is obtained in all positions. The steam acts upon the wing-piston until its packing-strip Z has passed the exhaust-port d, by which time the diametrieally-opposite Wing-piston has the force of the steam. Thus each piston is the motor during one half of a revolution and is carried idle during the other half of a revolution.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown a modieation of my devices,and represent an engine built to rotate only in one direction with a single pistonfaee that has the force of the steam on its nearly entire revolution, the two piston-faces of opposite ends of the piston-wheel being diametrieally opposite relative to each other. A

As will be noticed,in this engine the pistonwheel H is cam-shaped in its grooves g, with sufeient concentric face to cnt off the steam on about two-thirds of its revolution, the eX- haust-ehest G, with its port dand nozzle f, is

placed on top adjacent to the steam-chest, and

only a single pair of abutment-gates are required.

What I claim is- A 1. In a rotary engine, the eombination,with

, cylinder A, of wheel H, having grooves g,with

double-inclined faces for automatically lifting as described, to operateas specified.

2. In a rotary engine, the eombination,with 4o cylinder A, of wheel H, having grooves g`,witl1 wing-pistons k and packing-ringsjjj2, connected by the packing-strips lof the wing-pistons, all substantially as shown and described.

3. In a rotary engine, the cylinder A,With steam-chest F,and exhaust-chest G,With ports c and d, and with gravitating gates I, in combination with the grooved piston-wheel H, having doubly-inclined wing-pistons 7c, snbstan tially as described, to operate as specified. 5c

4. In a rotary engine, the eombination,with the grooved piston-Wheel H, having doublyinclined wing-pistons k, of the cylinder A,hav ing steam-chest F, with port c, and of abutmentgates I, provided with Weights q, substantially as described, for the purpose specied.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination,with the grooved piston-Wheelv H,hav ing Wing-pistons lc, of the cylinder A, having steam-chest F, and of a double set of abutment-gates, I, arranged at opposite sides of the steam-port c, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a rotary engine, the eombination,with the grooved piston-wheel H, having Wing-pistons k, of cylinder A, having steam-chest F, and of a double set of gravitating abutmentgates, I, arranged at opposite sides of steamport c, either one set to be held out of operation by a swinging arm, J, substantially as set forth. f

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VJOHAN E. MILLS.

Witnesses:

ANTON SoHoENINGER, HARRIS W. HUEHL. 

